Chapter Summaries

After a hailstorm, Xie Juanhan and Telingewei found their animals safe and the Goblins helping protect the Star Berry seedlings. The fluffies secretly raised Dragon Power-fed grubs under the dragons’ bed to feed the Tuonai'er Demon Birds, until Xie Juanhan spotted one and uncovered their hidden basket.

• Xie Juanhan and Telingewei checked on the Magic Wand Tree, Demon Birds, Moli, Nibote, and the Goblins after the hailstorm, then thanked the Goblins for protecting the seedlings.
• Xie Juanhan repaid the Goblins with food, and the Goblins began helping tend the Star Berries and bringing gifts to the other animals.
• Xie Juanhan and Telingewei moved the Tuonai'er Demon Birds to the farmland, where Harper and the others watched them forage.
• The Goblins showed Habei that Dragon Power Crystal fertilizer produced plump grubs, and Harper and the fluffies began secretly collecting insect eggs and larvae.
• Harper and the fluffies hid a basket of grubs beneath Xie Juanhan and Telingewei's bed and fed them to the young Demon Birds for nearly half a month.
• Xie Juanhan noticed a grub crawling across the floor and, with Telingewei, found the hidden basket beneath their bed.

Xie Juanhan and Telingewei punished the Companion Beasts for secretly raising bugs by making them plow a field, then planted Star Berries for the hardworking Goblins. Later, they visited Orfrey and heard villagers discussing a spirit at the Star Market that cursed people and made them lose their way; the chapter ended with a child insisting the curse was real.

• Xie Juanhan spotted a tooth mark on a Star Berry leaf, and Telingewei confiscated the Companion Beasts’ hidden basket of bugs.
• Telingewei harnessed Harper and the other Companion Beasts to small plows, and they worked the newly cleared field before admitting they were wrong.
• The Companion Beasts smeared mud on Telingewei’s legs while putting the plows away, and Xie Juanhan noticed their petty revenge.
• Xie Juanhan and Telingewei planted Star Berries for the Goblins and agreed to share farm work with them.
• Xie Juanhan and Telingewei visited Orfrey to collect their food order and heard villagers discussing a spirit at the Star Market that cursed people.
• A child told Xie Juanhan and Telingewei that Uncle Alaide had lost his way in the wilderness and fallen ill after returning home.

After Orfrey’s children sought help when their father failed to return from the Star Market, Xie Juanhan and Telingewei found Orfrey and his companions wandering in a poisoned state. They treated the group and stayed with them until villagers arrived the next morning.

• Kuitifulong found Orfrey’s four frightened children by the river and carried them to Xie Juanhan and Telingewei.
• The children explained that Orfrey had gone missing after visiting the Star Market, so Xie Juanhan and Telingewei escorted them home and divined that the missing adults were east and likely safe.
• Xie Juanhan and Telingewei flew east and found Orfrey and his companions wandering in circles through the darkness.
• Xie Juanhan gave the group potions that cured their disorientation, and Telingewei lit a bonfire while they rested.
• Xie Juanhan and the others stayed with Orfrey’s group until sunrise, then sent word to Ailan Village and waited for villagers to collect them.

Xie Juanhan and Telingewei found a Tree Spirit responsible for bewildering people at the Star Market and brought it home to question it. After the Tree Spirit secretly fed the Magic Wand Tree a Primordial Spirit, the tree grew and vomited magma, and the captive revealed it was a Tree Heart Spirit that had acted to protect itself.

• Xie Juanhan spread Dragon Power as rain across the Star Market and located a sapling hiding in a rooftop crack.
• Telingewei identified the sapling as a Tree Spirit whose Forest Magic could make creatures lose their way, and they took it home for questioning.
• Xie Juanhan planted the silent Tree Spirit in a flowerpot and gave it Dragon Power and fertilizer while Telingewei sought information from others.
• That night, the Tree Spirit sent a spot of light to the Magic Wand Tree, which swallowed it.
• The Magic Wand Tree grew to two meters and began spraying magma across the courtyard, setting the other plants on fire.
• The Tree Spirit spoke, and Telingewei identified it as a Tree Heart Spirit; it claimed it had only acted to protect itself when Xie Juanhan challenged it about the humans it had bewildered.

Xie Juanhan and the Goblins discovered that the Magic Wand Tree had vomited because it had taken in too much energy, and Xie Juanhan decided to punish it separately after it recovered. He wrote to the Elves to arrange for the Tree Spirit to be collected, while the Magic Wand Tree showed signs of benefiting from the Primordial Spirit.

• The Tree Spirit admitted it had spread word of its location to attract its clan, while Xie Juanhan and Telingewei checked that the Magic Wand Tree had absorbed the Primordial Spirit without serious injury.
• Xie Juanhan told the hungry Magic Wand Tree it would get no food and only a little water while it recovered.
• The Goblins examined the Magic Wand Tree and concluded it had vomited after absorbing too many different kinds of energy before digesting what it already had.
• Xie Juanhan told the Magic Wand Tree its recovery regimen was not its punishment, and that it would face a separate punishment for overeating.
• Xie Juanhan wrote to the Elf priest asking the Elves to collect the Tree Spirit, then sent the letter with a messenger bird.
• Xie Juanhan noted that the Magic Wand Tree had grown thick green branches and buds after absorbing some of the Primordial Spirit.

The Tree Spirit repaid the people it had bewitched with help from Xie Juanhan and the fluffballs, then returned to the Elf Forest with several hidden Tree Spirit seeds. As Xie Juanhan and Telingewei welcomed a Gray Elf named Sylvan and his giant eagle, Sylvan could barely look away from the food on their table.

• The Tree Spirit borrowed gold coins from Moli and asked Xie Juanhan to write a note explaining its compensation to the people it had frightened.
• Telingewei sent Harper and the other fluffballs to deliver silver coins to all fourteen victims, and the Tree Spirit later returned Moli's gold.
• The Elves took the Tree Spirit to their forest, where Xie Juanhan learned it had brought several conscious Tree Spirit seeds after escaping human adventurers.
• Xie Juanhan and the others planted Star Berry seedlings, then accepted butter-coated eggs from Orfrey's children and sent Harper and the fluffballs to escort them home.
• Sylvan arrived with a giant eagle, introduced himself as a Gray Elf sent to research Spatial Arcana, and accepted Xie Juanhan's invitation to dinner.
• Xie Juanhan and Telingewei prepared a welcoming meal, and Sylvan stared hungrily at the food on the table.

Sylvan and Simurgh stayed with Xie Juanhan and Telingewei after Sylvan impressed them with his knowledge of space and Simurgh charmed everyone with its appetite. The chapter ended with Harper and the others exposing Simurgh’s secret theft and replacement of their insects, while the giant eagle sat quietly as they complained.

• Sylvan praised the meal, and Simurgh ate three bowls of food while Harper and the others tried to keep their own food away from it.
• Xie Juanhan and Sylvan discussed the Feini Conjecture and Minghe Theorem, and Sylvan agreed to stay in their study while Simurgh stayed with Harper and the others.
• Sylvan told Xie Juanhan that their priest had said Simurgh carried the bloodline of the legendary bird of wisdom.
• Harper and the others found insect skins in Simurgh’s droppings and recalled its earlier fight with the Tuonai'er Demon Birds.
• Harper and the others secretly followed Simurgh and discovered it ate their largest insects, then replaced them with similar insects from the Magic Forest.
• Harper and Haxi seized Simurgh’s wing tips and complained to Xie Juanhan and Telingewei while Simurgh sat silently.

Sylvan apologized after Simurgh stole the fluffy little ones’ bugs, and Xie Juanhan and Telingewei arranged payment and product-exchange privileges for Sylvan’s research help. While the adults went out, starving Demonic Beasts lured Nibote away and invaded the fields, leaving Moli surrounded as the chapter ended.

• Simurgh admitted stealing the bugs and offered Harper and the others feathers after transforming into a brilliant golden-red bird.
• Xie Juanhan and Telingewei offered Sylvan a professor’s salary and priority access to their products, and Sylvan chose Star Berry wine, aquatic plants, and dried meat as payment.
• Xie Juanhan and Telingewei went to collect sea mud, while Sylvan left to replenish research materials and the fluffy little ones stayed home with Moli.
• Nibote provoked hungry Demonic Beasts in the forest, then chased them toward the fields when they fled, warning Moli too late to stop their attack.
• The six level-three Demonic Beasts ate fish and Star Berry seedlings, then surrounded Moli when he tried to drive them away.

Moli drove off six invading Demonic Beasts and protected the farmland, while the Goblins restored the damaged crops. After Xie Juanhan and Telingewei praised the defenders, they hunted down the remaining Demonic Beasts in the Magic Forest, leaving its inhabitants too frightened to invade again.

• Haxi rushed into the encirclement, but Harper stopped Habi from following, and Moli charged the six Demonic Beasts once the others arrived.
• Moli outmaneuvered the Demonic Beasts, killing two and forcing the rest to flee before beating Nibote for provoking them.
• The Goblins replanted damaged Star Berries and Golden Vine Pumpkins while Moli patrolled the farmland.
• Xie Juanhan and Telingewei returned, praised the Companion Beasts, and then hunted Demonic Beasts throughout the Magic Forest in dragon form.
• Telingewei butchered the captured Demonic Beasts, Xie Juanhan froze the meat, and the furry ones carried unwanted parts back into the forest.

After enjoying Xie Juanhan’s cooking and bathing routine, Sylvan reconsidered leaving the Magic Forest and decided to continue researching Spatial Arcana there. The chapter then shifted to Harper and the other Companion Beasts bringing timber out of the woods.

• Xie Juanhan and Telingewei prepared Demonic Beast meat, and Sylvan, the giant eagle, and the fluffies eagerly ate it.
• Xie Juanhan and Telingewei bathed and groomed the fluffies, while Sylvan used their body wash to clean the giant eagle.
• Sylvan discovered the giant eagle had hidden beast jerky and, after eating some, decided to stay in the Magic Forest and continue studying Spatial Arcana.
• Sylvan and the giant eagle planned to obtain more jerky through the exchange system or ask Lord Silver Dragon and the others to offer it.
• Harper and the other Companion Beasts brought sturdy branches out of the woods as Moli and Nibote dragged more timber, while a Dwarf called them over.

Xie Juanhan and Telingewei tried to save the Star Berry crop from weeks of gloomy weather by learning life magic. They began secretly practicing its precise dance in the field, where Moli, the Goblins, and Nibote caught them.

• Harper and the fluffy creatures brought wood for the Dwarves, who built Sylvan and the giant eagle a three-room treehouse where they moved in together.
• Persistent rain and cloud cover left the forest short on mushrooms and berries and threatened to ruin the Star Berry crop.
• Xie Juanhan and Telingewei’s attempts to help the Star Berries bloom failed, and a magic array proved too expensive to use across their large fields.
• Xie Juanhan found a magic book explaining that life magic could trigger the Star Berries to bloom, but Telingewei could not use it and Xie Juanhan struggled with the required dance.
• The two dragons practiced the life-magic dance secretly at night, then tried it in the Star Berry field and were discovered by Moli, the Goblins, and Nibote.
• After sending them back to sleep, Xie Juanhan and Telingewei prepared to try the dance again.

Xie Juanhan and Telingewei’s attempt to use Life Magic became a joyful dance as Goblins, Pixies, and other creatures joined them, causing the Star Berry flowers and plants across the area to flourish. After watching the sunrise together, Xie Juanhan later tasted a Star Berry flower and found its nectar sweet, though he noted that no bees were available to collect it.

• Xie Juanhan and Telingewei discovered that the Goblins could instinctively copy the Life Magic dance and make Star Berry flowers mature.
• Nibote brought Harper and the other Companion Beasts, then Moli arrived with Pixies who performed the dance gracefully in the air.
• Sylvan accompanied the gathering with his flute as the creatures danced together and made the Star Berry flowers bloom across the field.
• More creatures joined the dance, and Life Magic spread beyond the Star Berries, flourishing plants throughout the Magic Forest and Ailan Village.
• At daybreak, Xie Juanhan and Telingewei thanked the creatures and watched the sunrise over the flowers with their family before going home to sleep.
• After waking in the evening, Xie Juanhan tasted a Star Berry flower, enjoyed its sweet nectar, and remarked that there were no bees to gather it.

Xie Juanhan searched for creatures that could make honey from Star Berry nectar, and Priest Yiluo sent Flower Elves who claimed they could help. The Flower Elves began fighting over their arrival, and Telingewei revealed that he knew both groups from the Magic Forest.

• Xie Juanhan and Telingewei found that ordinary bees could not make honey from Star Berry nectar, so they asked their friends and the farming fairies of various races about special bees.
• Priest Yiluo asked whether a race other than bees could make honey, and Xie Juanhan wrote back asking him to recommend one.
• Flower Elves arrived on Demon Birds, and Moli and Nibote guarded the fields until Xie Juanhan and Telingewei came out to greet them.
• A second group of Flower Elves arrived and attacked the first with petals and berries, while Telingewei told Xie Juanhan that both groups had once lived in the Magic Forest before fleeing after a quarrel with him as the Black Dragon.
• The Flower Elves asked Xie Juanhan to settle their dispute, and Habei burped beside him.

Xie Juanhan and Telingewei judged the honey made by the blue-winged and green-winged Flower Elves, but Xie Juanhan collapsed before announcing the results. Telingewei caught him and cried out in alarm.

• The Flower Elves agreed to settle their dispute by competing to make honey, and Xie Juanhan provided Star Berry flowers and field ridges for the contest.
• Moli guarded the honey jars and stopped both groups from sneaking peeks at their rivals’ work.
• The two groups presented their liquid honey, and Xie Juanhan and Telingewei began judging it with repeated tastings.
• Xie Juanhan carefully tasted both honeys over several rounds and calculated his average scores.
• Xie Juanhan stood to announce the scores, then went limp and collapsed into Telingewei’s arms.

Xie Juanhan recovered after passing out from the Flower Elves’ nectar contest and announced that both tribes had tied, then persuaded them to work together on the Star Berry farmland. The tribes settled in the Magic Forest and signed a long-term nectar-brewing contract with Xie Juanhan and Telingewei.

• Xie Juanhan woke up in Telingewei’s arms and quietly reassured him while the Flower Elves explained his collapse.
• Xie Juanhan showed the Flower Elves that every contest score was identical, and Telingewei confirmed the tie with his own score sheet.
• Harper and the other Companion Beasts moved the arguing Flower Elves aside so Telingewei could carry Xie Juanhan out.
• The Flower Elves chose to stay in the Magic Forest and divided the farmland between the blue-winged eastern tribe and the green-winged western tribe.
• After Yiluo’s letter confirmed the tribes’ deep feud, Xie Juanhan proposed a long-term nectar contract giving the Flower Elves forty percent of the nectar.
• Xie Juanhan, Telingewei, and both Flower Elf tribes left their Magic Power imprints on the contract.

The Star Berry flowers set a promising crop, and Xie Juanhan hoped the berries could eventually produce grade-three magic wine to help him return home. After Habei and Nibote fell ill from contaminated fish milk, Xie Juanhan and Telingewei searched for the Tata Fish and discovered through divination that some had gotten into trouble.

• The Flower Elves settled in the Magic Forest, and the magical creatures drank Star Berry nectar while spreading pollen across the fields.
• Xie Juanhan and Telingewei inspected the rapidly growing Star Berries, and Xie Juanhan hoped they would yield grade-three magic wine that could aid his return home.
• Xie Juanhan noticed that one pot of fish milk tasted strange, but Habei and the others insisted it was fine and drank it.
• Habei and Nibote developed diarrhea after drinking the fish milk, and Telingewei read Habei's memories to confirm that the milk had caused it.
• Xie Juanhan and Telingewei went to find the Tata Fish, but found none in their usual locations.
• Xie Juanhan used his divination coin and concluded that some Tata Fish had gotten into trouble without telling their matriarch.

Xie Juanhan discovered that the Tata Fish’s injured tails came from sea urchin spines, but their fish milk still made all eight Companion Beasts sick. After the beasts recovered, he and Telingewei secretly followed a group of Tata Fish to a barren island chain, where they found the fish gathering around sea mushrooms hidden in thick seaweed.

• Xie Juanhan removed sea urchin spines from the young Tata Fish, healed their tails, and traded with uninjured fish for fresh milk and other supplies.
• Xie Juanhan gave the milk to the Companion Beasts, and all eight suffered diarrhea through the night.
• Xie Juanhan and Telingewei stayed home until the Companion Beasts recovered, then set out to investigate the Tata Fish again.
• Xie Juanhan and Telingewei followed a furtive group of adolescent Tata Fish as they raided Demonic Sea Urchins for snacks and swam toward deserted islands.
• Xie Juanhan followed the Tata Fish into thick underwater seaweed, where Telingewei recognized the objects they were seeking as sea mushrooms.

Xie Juanhan and Telingewei discovered that spoiled sea mushrooms had caused the Tata Fish’s milk to go bad, then gathered the mushrooms from the seabed. They left with two heavy bags of sea mushrooms, and Xie Juanhan blessed the nearby waters in hopes of encouraging more to grow.

• White Dragon and Telingewei learned that sea mushrooms were edible when fresh but poisonous after rotting, which explained the Tata Fish’s spoiled milk.
• Seabirds warned the Tata Fish, who hurriedly ate sea mushrooms and seaweed, traded Demonic Sea Urchin remains to the birds, and fled back toward their group.
• Xie Juanhan and Telingewei searched among the seaweed and found fresh sea mushrooms, while Xie Juanhan identified spoiled ones as the likely cause of the milk problem.
• Xie Juanhan and Telingewei collected sea mushrooms in two heavy mesh bags, and Xie Juanhan used cold air to preserve them.
• Xie Juanhan cast Blessing Magic over the nearby waters to encourage more sea mushrooms to grow.

Xie Juanhan and Telingewei returned from the sea with seafood and sea mushrooms, and Xie Juanhan began preparing a family dinner. After everyone sampled the delicious mushrooms, most of the batch was gone, leaving Xie Juanhan wondering whether he could make soup from the blanching water.

• Xie Juanhan and Telingewei brought home seafood and sea mushrooms, while Harper and the other fluffies chased them inside and eagerly inspected their haul.
• Xie Juanhan and Telingewei decided to stir-fry the sea mushrooms with garlic, butter, and seasonings as Xie Juanhan prepared the rest of dinner.
• Xie Juanhan blanched the sea mushrooms and cooled them in ice water, then discovered their crisp, savory flavor reminded him of white bird feet.
• The fluffies crowded into the kitchen and demanded samples, and Xie Juanhan fed them, Telingewei, and himself several rounds of mushrooms.
• Xie Juanhan found that the family had eaten more than half the mushrooms before dinner and considered turning the blanching water into mushroom soup.

Xie Juanhan and Telingewei took Harper and the fluffballs to gather sea mushrooms, teaching Nibote to dive along the way. After sharing a plentiful harvest and meal with the Tata Fish, they returned home to find Goblins waiting by the fence and Simurgh asleep nearby.

• Harper and the other fluffballs noticed the basin held too few sea mushrooms, and Nibote eagerly asked whether they could share the leftovers.
• Xie Juanhan and Telingewei brought the fluffballs to the sea, where Xie Juanhan trained buoyant Nibote to dive using a chunk of ice.
• Xie Juanhan and Telingewei searched the seabed for sea mushrooms while the fluffballs gathered them and the Tata Fish helped uncover more.
• Xie Juanhan noticed red marks on many adolescent Tata Fish and concluded they had been taught a lesson.
• Xie Juanhan and Telingewei cooked a large sea mushroom feast on the beach and shared it with the Tata Fish.
• Xie Juanhan and the others flew home after dark and found Goblins waiting by the fence beside the sleeping Simurgh.